Talsperre Klingenberg

Fabian D.
Seems to get interesting😉
have you already choosen a material for the walls?

Dave Flitton
Watching

Steven Van Dyck
The walls wil be made by glueing Noma Parkett green tiles to 3,6mm multiplex wood board curved to the right radius. The platform, road and base from thicker multiplex. The green panels will be engraved to represent a rustic pattern of masonry. Thanks for the attention, I wil try to make it worthwile.

Steven Van Dyck
The woodwork is adding up to a ponderous construction. The tension in some building elements dictates the use of sturdy material, like 10mm multiplex and steel corner elements. Like that I can bend the wood slightly.

Es-haq Khosravi
Great start!

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Es-haq. I hope that my first piece of masonry on such a large scale will work out fine.

Holger Kranich
Oh this seems to be very intersting to me! I´ll follow that for sure!

Steven Van Dyck
The vault under the arch has been shaped and the bottom plate is sawn open in the archways on the outside.

Steven Van Dyck
I will hide some functionality in the diorama. The Flak will rotate slowly on a timepiece hidden in the arch and the searchlight will be lighted by a LED, amongst other light sources that can be fed by a battery pack hidden in the base. The album shows where the vehicles could be placed; maybe the searchlight can be put at the bottom of the stairs.

Przemek Przybulewski
Looking good so far. Waiting for more...

Christian Ristits
What an interesting project...cant wait to see more of it!

Mike K
Very cool. I'm in for sure.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks for the support. I already fixed some green styrene foam to the diorama.

Choppa Nutta
liking the architecture 👍

Steven Van Dyck
Under stern scrutiny of my pet Hector I cut out the rustic stone pattern of the dam superstructure.

Es-haq Khosravi
Great job!!"

Choppa Nutta
Coming along sweetly 🙂
I love this shot -

[img1]

Steven Van Dyck
Hector sends his regards!

Choppa Nutta
haha, can you make a wee monster movie once you have finished please 😄

Hunter Cummins
This is aweaome

Steven Van Dyck
Next time I'll smuggle one of my phasms in the shot.

Choppa Nutta
I googled phasm because I know mot what it is
apparently lots of bare chested blokes, curious pet indeed

google.co.uk/search?..&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg

Steven Van Dyck
try this one, Choppa: google.co.uk/search?..bm=isch&q=phasma

Choppa Nutta
yeah thats much better 😉

[img1]

Choppa Nutta
still though the insects are awesome as well !!
got to make a little monster movie with pets like that 🙂

Glenn
( . ) ( . ) Nice! What scale is she? Another add to my wantlist!!! 🙂

Choppa Nutta
she was in amongst Stevens google search for phasms, I think she is from the film phasma x machina though not sure yet to watch it, it seems to be some kind of spooky sci fi thriller...
But yeah, she is bewitchingly healthy 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
She doesn't star in my latest horror movie, alas.

Steven Van Dyck
Preparing the road surface with a stamp and glueing pieces of "stone" to the wall

Hunter Cummins
Very nice so far

Steve Wilson
...
Choppa she's wearing too much!!!😛

Steven Van Dyck
Pushing stamps in the Noma Parkett to get a nice cobblestone boardwalk. Then priming with Vallejo Surface Primer and painting with Vallejo Dark Blue Grey. Flak posed for reference, finally it will stand elsewhere.

Steven Van Dyck
Another piece of cobblestone finished.

Matthias Weiss
Very nice build, I´ll follow this one.

BTW: You might think about hiring a exterminator, looks like a lot of bugs in your home...😉

Oh and what happens if you put that chameleon in front of a model tank, does it adjust to the camouflage??

Choppa Nutta
now that is an experiment I want to see !! 😄

Marko
Excellent build so far.

Steven Van Dyck
Haha, thanks for the suggestion, but if a wave a tank in front of him, he would probably snap off the barrel. He's got quite sharp teeth and drew blood from more than one uncareful person... Hector can change a bit of color, from dark green to bright yellow stripes.

Steven Van Dyck
Some filler has been used to get rid of the seams from the many added particles on the wall. The road has been fixed and the base opened for soldering wires.

Steven Van Dyck
The edge stones are protruding after Gyproc Hydro Joint Mix has been applied. The top stones are coarsened with a metal mask and the Joint Mix. The platform has been primed black.

Fabian D.
nice progress, Steven. In the beginning I didn´t really know what the blue stuff really is used for... it´s something like a footstep sound insulation, right?

Choppa Nutta
👍

Steven Van Dyck
That's it, Fabian. It's extruded polystyrene, not high density but with foam structure inside. One side is striated along the large side, the other one smooth. @Choppa: thanks

Choppa Nutta
will you be spraying it with PVA glue and then throwing sand onto to it before painting to give it that stone texture ?

Steven Van Dyck
That's not necessary, it has already a convincing texture by itself, because of tiny bubbles under the surface. Now I'll do some sanding.

Alan Rush
Wow, great progress on a huge project! 👍 I will keep following. Looks great!

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks for the support, now the seams are filled with the aid of an old kitchen knife and some kit. Almost ready to paint!

Mike K
Looking good. 👍

Es-haq Khosravi
Fantastic!

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks. The kit is primed in Vallejo Surface Primer black.

Steven Van Dyck
Stone colors added in Vallejo Air US Grey and Middle Stone.

Choppa Nutta
sweet, coming along nicely 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Choppa. The wall is encrusted with Vallejo white pigment to make it look older. That altered the color effect considerably and gives much more variation.

Aghis Barberopoulos
Very impressive stone bridge

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Aghis. Now the street lamp is painted, weathered with hairspray technique, added and tested. The walls are covered in algae.

Steven Van Dyck
The scenery is treated with Vallejo varnish. A preliminary setup has been created, with more figures and attributes still to come.

Choppa Nutta
Sweeet !!!!
will the street lamp work ?

Steven Van Dyck
Watch one of the last pictures, Choppa. Besides the streetlamp, there will also be a light under the vault.

Choppa Nutta
Cool, headlights on the truck ? 🙂

Gábor Bélik
Still following with interest.

Zimmermaniac
Steven dat komt helemaal in orde vriend.....

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks en bedankt, I was too late to integrate LEDs in the front lights of the Protze, which would be a nasty job anyway because of the tubing under it. Instead I put a LED in the stone ceiling. There isn't one on the real dam, but there will be a generator running near for the searchlight so an auxiliary power line shouldn't be a problem, I guess. Now I built a crane from Precision Models to show how they got the Flak up there. Some accessories had to be filled with Milliput, and with the remainders I sculpted a duck.

Mike K
Good job on the duck! 👍 🙂

Choppa Nutta
yeah ! Quack quack 👍 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
The Bergepanther jib is getting a support of wooden beams. Some welding plate will be added to match the jib to it.

Steven Van Dyck
A radio table has been scratched from Maultier spareparts, to support a Plusmodel transmitter set. I intend to colour it light gray.

Steven Van Dyck
The crane has been primed in black and painted rust brown with a dark brown post-shade. It got some Evergreen clamps to fix it to the wooden support. Some of the rust is sprayed on the stone wall to make it livelier.

Zimmermaniac
I'm deeply impressed by what ya did with that walls...bout the time I saw am in Holland I thougt ( and told ya so afterwards I guess) you chose the wrong material to work with....but now by seeing these results I must say ....goddamn good looking mate...can we see it at BSMC ??

Steven Van Dyck
I hope to be able to show it to you at BSMC even this year, Chris. I understood the criticism because for ordinary brickwork with fine seams you'd probably need a denser plastic. For these boulders though, it's ideally suited.

Steven Van Dyck
The jib is connected to the support. I think I chose the color well, it goes with the stone background.

Steven Van Dyck
Some stuff had to be painted still, even some new heads. The wood is darkened to fit in the dark background.

Fabian D.
nice Progress Steven 👍

Kerry COX
Which museum is this going into mate ? You certainly have done some amazing work from what I remember your first images show, a build that is extraordinary. 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
Fabian and Kerry, thanks. Today I painted a traffic barrage. It went wrong and then right again as I tried to remove the paint.

Steven Van Dyck
I found another jib in a tool set by Italeri and separated some parts that were molded together.

Kerry COX
Problem solving is our first requirement as a modeller, and I would imagine you have had a world of that with this amazing build mate ! 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
You shouldn't look back, or you are lost. But I expect that in some weeks I might be able to conclude the build. A lot of details are coming together now.

Kerry COX
WHAT !!!! you can see the little speck of light at the end of the tunnel ? And what will you do then, ?. Build an other one ? LOL 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
Now already plans are made for another diorama, containing at least one Churchill AVRE with SBG bridge, hinting at the minimum dimension and height. But I don't expect that to happen earlier than next year. I have some smaller projects, like an Eduard-upgraded Dingo 2 and a 1/72 Kiowa chopper with a resin cockpit to survive the winter.

Kerry COX
I am expecting an other series of superb photos of a superb build Steve, and I know you wont let us all down LOL. 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
I painted some resin crates and the metal joints for the wooden crane construction. The jib is also post-shaded and some welding material is emerging on the platform.

Kerry COX
You amaze me Steve, and also, and because of you, ha ha, I am now pondering what I will do with my StuG III in the way of a very simple but unmissable diorama. This is the first German AFV I have built in years, but the look of this vehicle reminds me of a "Streetfighter", tough little bugger with a hefty punch. I love it. I am sure you will have some advice/hints for me yeah ? Cheers . 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
Your idea makes me think of my former large diorama, Kerry. [img1] You'll find it at Jagdpanther with motorcyclists | Project by StevenVD (1:35). Don't know if you have any experience with snow diorama's?

Kerry COX
Thanks for the link to your big cat mate and, I especially like the telegraph poles with the 'snow crystal' effect, quite realistic and the whole thing is fantastic. Yes Steven I did a Flak38 in a revetment, all snow and with a scratch built "field oven with food !" in 1/6 scale. I did have it in here for a while, but I can always update it if you would like to see what I did.

Steven Van Dyck
Now that you mention your Flak, I'm reminded about the snow surround. You showed me that only a week ago... Silly me.

Steven Van Dyck
The crane can be bolted to the concrete with my Milliput bolt head production process, using a spare Eduard fret. The diagram shows the electrical circuit. I can alternate between a button style and a switch for the lighting. So specators on a contest can be urged to activate the lighting themselves, or I can put the dio away as a bedside lamp...

Kerry COX
Steve, You should quit your day job and apply to a museum to be their chief modeller, as you are blowing my mind with what you are creating here. phenomenal stuff, nothing less. 🙂

Es-haq Khosravi
Great job! It's impressing!

Steven Van Dyck
Kerry, I already did some large scale modelling in a museum, if you count these in: willgoto.com/1/143642/liens.aspx. But I wouldn't say no if they asked. Es-Haq, thanks! Today I added some tufts of static grass to the masonry.

Steven Van Dyck
The server took my link wrong, so here I go again: willgoto.com/1/143642/liens.aspx

Kerry COX
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What reference material did you use ? LMAO 🙂

Kerry COX
Incredible my friend. You ARE good 🙂

Es-haq Khosravi
Awesome!

Kerry COX
You MUST have a look at these images. facebook.com/l.php?u..oDHc&h=PAQEACIF9. :-O

Steven Van Dyck
Nice one, Kerry. I could try this out with USS Princeton, which came to it's ending about the same way, but some people rather don't like to see wool imitating smoke on a model. The light in it makes it very lively however.

Kerry COX
I must agree with you here Steve, but it was just a little something of interest I wanted to pass on.

Steven Van Dyck
I installed an electronic kit to feed the timer mechanism on the 6V battery pack. Next to the switches, the battery pack can be inserted and pulled out again by a cord. A trap door closes off the control area for transporting purposes.

Kerry COX
Steve, Look out when it takes on a life of it's own mate and starts to vibrate and hum, and then try to get off your work bench LOL. It is wonderful how you have worked out everything for the most impact. You certainly have my respect and admiration my friend. 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
Thank you, Kerry. I'd call the Escaped Model Retrieval Service.

Soeren R.
Wow...... What a really nice and great work!! Looking forward to see the finished diorama. It will be aweseom, I guess 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Soeren. I just primed the last surfaces in Vallejo Grey Surface Primer. Now you see it's close to the finish.

Kerry COX
Steven, the master builder. I have really enjoyed going through the build as you post all these pics and like Soeren says. I am too looking forward to seeing this build in all its splendour. Take a bow mate 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
I have messed around with the Tamiya sand bag set. It will provide me with some stuff to order my workers to haul up onto the stairs, because the ammo magazines don't fit well into their hands.

Anthony Richards
I think I have a new hero! It looks fantastic!

Kerry COX
I am going to have this man build my new house, just as soon as he stops creating these masterpieces. 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
Might be I ever get to do some housebuilding, I currently enrolled in a 1-year course industrial drawing.

Steven Van Dyck
Sandbags are painted and dryfitted before weathering.

Es-haq Khosravi
Extremely great!😉

Kerry COX
I remember some time ago, some guy made his sand bags out of chewing gum, but it got attacked by ants LMFAO 🙂

Steve Wilson
...
And now their forever blowing bubbles. Lol (((😄 )))

Kerry COX
True Story LOL 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
The former batch of sandbags was criticized by colleague builders. They wanted something less generic. Therefore, these new ones are made in Fimo pottery clay. One lump was shaped like a buoy for anti-torpedo netting.

Fabian D.
good decision, looks better now 👍

Zimmermaniac
Steven....maybe I'm late 🙂 but I was thinking..the sandbags seem a little too big in scale considering the figures...it seems like they are carrying 50kg cement bags in 1 hand.....now I carried a lot o' 50kg cement bags....but NOT one-handed....needed to put 'em on my shoulder 🙂

Steve Wilson
...
@Zimmermaniac, I've done that too, one hand on the hip, bag over top part of arm and shoulder, shin up the ladder, no 'ealth an' safety back then... Lol (((😄 )))
Oh! the things we could do in our youth😠

Soeren R.
Really great work so far!

Steven Van Dyck
Well, there is one guy who's busy throwing a bag off the truck, so he's just steadying himself with his right hand while continuing to swing the bag with his left. One other guy is neatly lifting the bag two-handed. The other two will surely have their load touching the stair treads, making the weight bearable. The proportion might be just a bit off, but I can't risk moving an entire arm on two painted figures. The bodies lean to the side of the carrying arm, so if they sling the bag over their other shoulder, they would not look natural.

Kerry COX
You haven't left a thing to chance, the skills of a very talented modeller. There is something in each pic we can all learn from. Fantastic stuff Steve. 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Kerry. Here some more pictures, everything you see is fixed now. Some little things left to do.

Kerry COX
What gets me Steven, is the fact that you have taken this fraction of a moment in time, and bought it all to life again. I wonder what the ghosts of the men depicted here have to say about it all, because it is obviously based on a factual situation mate. You have bought me so much enjoyment watching your work take shape. Just wonderful mate. (( 🙂 ))

Steven Van Dyck
I might be haunted by the guy that had to toss sandbags upstairs to the death! And I'm already gathering ideas about the next large diorama.

Gerald
great work Steven 👍😭Y)👍

Matthias Weiss
Where did you get the fuel cans from?

Steve Wilson
...
@Matthias, ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=..%2F35+fuel+cans&_sacat=0

Matthias Weiss
Yeah well, thx. Steve...
I'm asking because these ones here have auch nicely detailed caps. The ones in the Tamiya-Set only have a knob there.

Steve Wilson
...
Matthias scroll down there's loads of them not just Tamiya...

Marko
Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, it's indeed the Tamiya no.186 I used. The jerrycans have nice detail and the drum halves fit reasonably. All of the drums look battered.

Steven Van Dyck
Some more pictures of stuff I have added yesterday.

Marko
I admire the details. There are so many, and they all look awesome.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Marko. My opinion is that all the elements of a diorama should be made as interesting as they could be, you should not rely on the quality of the vehicle or the figurines only.

Kerry COX
OK, OK, What is it in image 193. ? I'm thinking something like a buoy (marine application0 :-/) there is too much detail to comprehend and I am always amazed at something else that pops into view each time I take a walk around the structure. I love it !! 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
If you look at [img1], you'll understand where this item comes from. I scratched it because I found the resin too expensive.

Christian Ristits
Thats really amazing Steven, spectacular!

Kerry COX
Ah ha !!! So I was right !!!! Or just a lucky guess. It's still the most fantastic thing I have ever seen. :-OO

Mike K
Holy cow, you are one ambitious dude, Steven.

Marc A.
Holy moli!!! What a stunning work...Fantastic so far keep looking to see the end

Ralf Schuster
absolutly wonderful... respect!!!

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks for your attention, guys! The diorama will enter in a competition at BSMC on the 13th of december.

Kerry COX
Steven, I am sure there will be many people voting in your corner for 'best in show' mate. Have fun there mate 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
I sure will, Kerry. I'll spend at least 100 euro's prize money that I won in a quiz at IPMS Netherlands. That has to be spent at modeling stuff, a condition I don't mind at all.

Kerry COX
How sweet it is mate, and you will knock them for a six. (a cricket term).

I am sure there will be heaps of photos come back from you on the meet Steven. And good luck. 🙂 KC

Steven Van Dyck
I added a blowtorch to the welder's toolkit.

Al Grintalis
Wow what a project ... great work so far

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks, Al. I added some chains and a rope, scratched a winch and piled some sand near the truck.

Al Grintalis
I can not wait to see when you get it done..

M.Julian Marles
looks pretty epic!

Steven Van Dyck
Almost done, a name tag will be ready at friday. Completion pictures will come even sooner.

M.Julian Marles
Some neat ideas there in the little details and mods I am sure many of us will "borrow"...I especially like the block and tackle/jib set ups, and little tooly things lying around....

Kerry COX
Yeah, not just a whole lot of models here, as there is a serious story being retold here. I love it 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
It's finished. On saturday it will receive the name tag and on sunday it will attend to BSMC 2014: bsmc.be/

Soeren R.
Really really great work! Looks awesome!

Kerry COX
I am sure I echo every ones thoughts here when I say, "The very best for you and your Diorama Steven." we will be cheering for you.

Cheers mate.

KC 🙂

Marko
Excellent work. Each and every detail is done with absolute perfection. My hat is off for this one. BRAVO.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks. The last update has just been added. I fixed a bug in the system via a hole in the sidewall. This was covered up with one of the reference pictures. I fixed the crane to the ridge with another chain and threw some more sand. It was of no avail for BSMC 2014, jury and salesmen passed by but I saw many a visitor try out the lights and taking pictures.

Zimmermaniac
looked damn good at the show yesterday

Michal Z.
fantastic!

Kerry COX
Please post some pics of the show when you guys get time. KC 🙂

Zimmermaniac
don't have any px Kerry...I was working all day behind the bar

Steve Wilson
...
You sure that's behind Zimmer😢 not telling porkies are we? Lol!!! (((😄 )))

Matthias Weiss
"Working all day behind the bar" That's the place where I would like to be now...
Your project is really great, Steven! i like watching over your shoulder, I can learn a lot.

Choppa Nutta
looks good in the day light ! 🙂

Olivier
I just come across this diorama to-day. I am really impressed.

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks for the nice comments. It still sits in my showcase near my PC. Some of the birds have come loose but it still looks alive.

Xerxes
Hi Steven. Great Diorama. Well done stone building 👍

Stephan H.
Excellent craftmanship! Congratulations. 👍

Olivier
👀

Steven Van Dyck
Thanks for the comments!